An Expedition down the Begh-ula. 43 



After being compelled to abandon the canoes, we pursued 

 a course to the westward of the river and at a distance of 

 several miles, so as to avoid the bends in its course as well 

 as any Esquimaux, against whom the Indians now threatened 

 the direst revenge ! The country extended in a flat plain or 

 morass covered with slush and water, to the foot of a chain 

 of undulating hills, along which a small deep river flowed. 

 On ascending the summit of the highest hill we had a view 

 to seaward. The outline of the coast was distinctly seen 

 and beyond it what appeared to us to be the sea, of course, 

 entirely covered with ice. The countiy before us consisted 

 of a series of undulations interspersed with plains of some 

 extent and several small sheets of water. 



Continuing on until 6 a.m. of the 17th June, we encamped, 

 finding the country as before described and destitute of 

 timber, a few small clumps of dwarf willow occurring at long 

 intervals. With much difficulty, a few small half dry pine 

 sticks about an inch in diameter were collected, a fire was 

 made and part of a deer, which one of the Indians killed, 

 cooked. Next day, or rather that afternoon, we resumed our 

 course through a country similar in appearance, having a low 

 chain of hills or ridges running in a parallel direction to 

 the right of us. Towards midnight stunted trees became 

 frequent along the banks of several small streams which 

 were passed, in the valleys formed between the hills ob- 

 served in our descent of the river. The snow was very 

 deep in the valleys, and altogether the walking was dread- 

 fully bad. 



From this until the 24th of June, when we reached the 

 Indian encampment at the mouth of Lockhart River, the 

 country was more hilly and better wooded, intersected by 

 numerous small and two middling sized streams having 

 their rise in the south-west. The Anderson also receives 

 the waters of a large lake lying in the Barren Grounds 

 on the left. Reindeer were pretty numerous and as many 

 were shot as we required. Traces of moose were seen 

 for three days below the said encampment. There are 

 no musk oxen to be found on the west side of the Ander- 



